this all feels a bit dubious from the Pakistan team. I agree, the first test was a road of roads but the toss didnt define it. both teams batted the same amount of time in their first innings. to then use a day 11 pitch and that span that much bordered on desperation and a reaction to being skittled after fielding for a day and a bit.
Now we are seeing them aggressively trying to turn a traditional green road into a dustbowl again. hopefully the toss deoesnt decide this match
i am all for using conditions to your advantage but there is a line to which it becomes a joke, granted we should have taken better/more spinners to combat it.
tracks are green in the UK (other than the oval) so play seamers and batting can be tough for the first 2 days
similar in NZ and SA
in Oz they are fast and bouncy, so pick your best quicks and a good spinner so you can rotate.
indian tracks spin, but they also carry pace early in a test so seamers are useful.
Pindi is a road by all accounts, so i am in favour of them leveling the balance between bat and ball. but not to the point where losing the toss will almost guarantee you cannot win the game because its ragging square on day 2
for the record, i would be just as against it if england intentionally grassed/greened up a track beyond the point an opposition could compete as well.